KKB

For sure. But MSC took it to a new level. I observed SO SO many self-absorbed people with no regard for others (common courtesy) Happens at all price points. But I’ve never seen it this extensive—slamming trays in others’ backs in buffet (on purpose), walking down stairs 2 at a time when others wanted to walk up, walking into elevators without allowing others off, ignoring safety protocols on tenders even when reprimanded by crew, physically moving other peoples’ children aside. These things happen. But these were the NORM. Observed these behaviors (and many others) OVER & OVER .As I said, I was astounded. Not worth the cheap fare for me. I’d rather pay a bit more & travel a bit less.

Used to be my attitude. Then I tried MSC...even after I read the reviews (which I always take with a grain of salt but when you see a pattern, then pay attention) It is a great price point. I saw places I've never been. Crew was great. But both in the Caribbean & Europe (B2B each...so essetially 4 cruises), the vast lack of common courtesy by far too many passengers was astounding. Don't get me wrong--if you travel w/ the masses (as most of us do), there will be jerks along the way. There were just MANY jerks. On every cruise! (with 2 entirely different demographics). I could only attest it to a culture that seems to belong to MSC. (and yes, that was the complaint pattern in the reviews). (40+ cruises over 20 years on most mainstream lines under my belt, so plenty to compare to) I decided I'd rather pay a bit more for other lines.

Fair. I very much attempt to squeeze every penny out of every dollar we make. I've just learned as I've gotten older there are things I don't mind paying for. Helps that my budget allows a little more wiggle room than 20 years ago. Actually the Joy isn't an older ship--just 7 years old, Breakaway Plus class.

I admit I prefer the Getaway & Breakaway class ship design better overall-mostly better flow. (except the casino & smoke...blech) But Prima has some things I like better over those as well--Indulge, Deck 8 pools. If I could pick & choose the things I love from each ship I sail, I'd have the perfect ship!

I was worried about this after our Encore cruise in Dec. of 2022. Shows were being cut...and this cruise was definitely short staffed. Waits for everything, crew clearly stretched thin. We thought--this is the way the wind is blowing. LUCKILY DD & I had the Breakaway already booked for Aug 2023 to the Med. NONE of the issues from the Encore were apparent (other than the cutting of the Broadway shows fleetwide). DH & I sailed the Prima in January--the food & drinks were the best we have had on our 6 NCL cruises & our Los Lobos meal surprisingly is one of the top 5 meals we have ever had on a ship. We travel a lot. I learned a long time ago never to pass judgement on any brand after a one-off. Tried MSC for 12 days in Feb & thought "meh, not crazy abou this line" Had them booked for 20 days in May already. After those 20 days I've determined it isn't my cup of tea. Might be for others. The beauty of cruising is that there are many options for all kinds of tastes.

OK the SIMPLE answer is... Compare prices of the cruises you want, with the perks you want. If you end up cruising more, you may find certain lines/ships/perks/itineraries are preferable to you, and you might pay more for those you prefer. Or you may prefer to spend less & cruise more. Or as with us, you might start spending less...and as time goes by, you may shift your priorities. And those priorities might even shift cruise by cruise!

I hung out with a gal from near Atlanta most of both cruises...but she & her daughter hit Hawaii on the way over, but not that much time in Sydney--when I saw Atlanta I thought it was her!!

Grand Plaza Cafe=Cafe Al Bacio. I have never seen sandwiches here, only pastries. Otherwise everything you list is correct--there is a pizza place at the back of the buffet from 11AM until late. Not a huge fan of buffet except for breakfast (particularly love the omelet station). BUT I will say that I find the quality of the buffet on Eclass to be very good. I do recommend trying it once before passing judgement.

Celebrity & Princess are our 2 fav lines, in that order. We find them VERY comparable, particularly the older ships as you are mentioning. These 2 ships are nearly the same age, both refurbished 4-5 years ago. Summit is a bit smaller/fewer passengers. Sailed the Sapphire summer of 2022. Have not sailed Summit, but have sailed same class, Constellation (same class), twice--it was our 1st Celebrity cruise & made us a fan. EVERYTHING is comparable, including rooms. Princess standard balconies don't have a sofa (but has DH says--all we use it for is to toss clothes on...), but I like how Princess' closets are set up--it opens toward the bathroom as opposed to the room which creates a sort of dressing room. Closet is HUGE. Yes, It does make bedroom area a bit smaller. But we aren't in our room much anyway. Interiors are slightly smaller, but not cramped like NCL Breakaway class! Food--shows--activities...no discernible difference. We did MX Riviera in October some years ago & I was surprised how cool it was (considering all my cruises prior had only been in the Caribbean) Regarding price--I would likely choose the Princess if it is cheaper. If you are adding AI on Celebrity vs. Princess Plus on Princess, remember that Princess includes gratuities & Celebrity does not any longer. Agree w/ above post--I have to pay to upgrade Celebrity's drink plan to get wine & liquor brands I like. DH is perfectly fine as he mostly drinks beer & frozen drinks.

This isn't a fair comparison. New ships typically cost more to sail. Balconies cost more to sail--even solo balconies. You can uncheck the specialty dining & not pay for the tips for that Free at Sea--but honestly it is a great value. You are wrong about the NCL drink package--it covers everything except specialty coffee & "boxed" water. I find the specialty coffee package too high for me--$5/day to buy my Starbucks is fine. If you compared an older NCL ship sailing an interior room, you will likely prices to be more comparable. Having sailed 40+ cruises in 20 years on most mainstream lines, I compare prices A LOT. We find difference between various ships more than various lines (overall). It IS important to consider all the things you would (or would not) pay for on a cruise. Have you looked at MSC? I wasn't a big fan, but their prices tend be VERY competative.

Wish I knew. Got our 1st free one via FB--ad saying if I sent my casino card I might get a free cruise. (it was a broad offer...3-14 days, AK, Europe, Caribbean, MX, Hawaii) Interior, drinks free in casino. Did 2 weeks in Hawaii in January--our 1st Carnival cruise. Offers have been a bit less, but a number of $100 offerings. Blew it & didn't book 30 day Sydney-Japan-Alaska cruise for that price. Earned about 2K in 8 days & 4K in 12 days last month. That was about a $2K bankroll combined. Offers have all but dried up. (we only look at 8+ days--suggestion of Carnival crew) Obviously mine is a very limited experience.

Nope. Got some tape & a splint at a pharmacy in Sydney. Its pretty good now...full range of motion. Bet we met--where are you from?

Older ships--comparable to Princess. Newer Eclass? (Apex, Edge, Beyond, Ascent), a step above. Been cruising 20 years; started on Princess--clearly it started an obsession. Tried Celebrity 10 yrs ago & felt food & service were a LITTLE better than other lines. (truly, a little) But once we sailed Eclass--well, they are my fav ships to sail!

But odd I can see it fine when not logged in

Final thoughts 15 hours IS a long flight...but manageable if one is able to sleep a decent chunk. But if I do it again definitely staying a month again...I cannot imagine doing it even for 2 weeks. Met many wonderful people on this cruise from all over, both via social media but also just striking up conversations. Encountered more bizarre passenger drama on this cruise...luckily nothing that affected me other than entertainment!! PS if you get to Sydney, go to Mr. Percy at Woolstore 1888 & try the Seasonal Tomatoes. Sounds like such a simple dish...but it was AMAZING. I want to eat that dish every day for the rest of my life!

New Zealand Definitely some rockier days at sea. Amazing to me how very different each port was! Fjordland--was quite rocky that day. Luckily I got up early (tho we ran late due to fog), and got some great photos while watching from deck 3. But by lunch I was in the room & hung out there the rest of the day. Port Chalmers/Dunedin I wandered Port Chalmers--a lovely little town, reminded me a lot of Alaskan port towns with a European flair. Discovered a hidden coffee & wine bar after a bit of shopping & sat outside in the warm sunshine for some time. Wellington While a bit smaller than my hometown of Lincoln, NE, it felt much more like a big city. Wandered around downtown & along the waterfront. Napier Destroyed by an earthquake in 1931, so it is all rebuilt in Art Deco. Right along the beach. I did a Wine & Cheese excursion here. The tour guide & the tour around the city, shoreline & surrounding area was the best part. The wineries were lovely, but the wines were a let down for me. NX Sauv Blanc is my fav wine...one didn't offer a Sauv Blanc at all! One did have cheese & crackers but it ran out before we all got to get some & it was not refilled. The 2nd winery had no food offered at all. Tauranga A LOVELY resort town. It had an Austin vibe. I wandered all over the downtown area, checking out shops. Had some of the biggest best sushi I've ever had. Then stopped at a lovely restaurant with patio seating & watched the world go buy. Bay of Islands OK...8 hour stop. (8-4) With tender. And a shuttle to town. So that means WAITING. And Carnival had the BRILLIANT idea that people should begin to pick up tender tickets at 6:30 AM the day of--ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!! OK, other lines give out tender tickets at least the day before. Not a morning person here...so needless to say I wasn't getting off until 11AM. Let's factor in the tender line...time to tender...shuttle line...time to shuttle... And all of that factored in on the way back as well. Figured I would get little time there so decided to stay onboard (I do enjoy a mostly empty ship). Several people said "there wasn't much there" so I don't mind my decision. It DID look like a good place for an excursion (which means you don't need to line up early for tender tickets either) I wouldn't do New Caldonia again, but would love to come back to SYD & NZ to explore more!

New Caldonia We were supposed to go to Mare, Lifou & Noumea. After booking, Mare decided no more cruise ships, I guess. So we hit Noumea twice. Noumea--reminded me me of a lot of Caribbean islands. HOHO bus was kind of a waste...very short route. Tchou Tchou train would have been a better way to see more of the island. Nice beaches, but coral covered so wear beach shoes. No chairs or anything. Aquarium was a nice visit. A number of restaurants along the shore--lots of good choices to sit & have a drink. Nice flea market on the weekend, but nice vendors at ferry station as well. Lifou Probably the most primative port I've ever visited. Lovely sand beach, but a bit of a steep walk down. There was a small market & a few food/drink vendors but not much else. Definitely book an excursion if you aren't interested in the beach.

Food & Drink I didn't get the drink package as I had free drinks in the casino & bought a 5 bottle wine package--a pretty good value. Food was odd. A very different menu than on the Miracle. Buffet was very repetative. Hard to find healthy choices...salad bar was limited. Most meat processed, breaded or in pastry. Veggies were typically the frozen pea/carrot mix or broccoli. Coffee--nice cappuccino machine in buffet made as good as the paid for coffee. But there was ONE machine (the other said "being washed" for 20 days...) Breakfast was better in the restaurant than buffet (which wasn't bad, just limited--remember, I avoid gluten) Lunch: Guy's burger place (always solid), Mongolian Grill (great but be prepared to wait 30 min...embarkation day was best day to go), Deli (chicken salad on GF bread was my go to...especially as we had several rocky days when my tummy was off). BBQ one day--that was solid. Dinner: Sucked that Guys closes at 5:30--I don't get this. I had early dinner & was able to get a table with others from the Roll Call the 1st week. 2nd week one of the gals & I from that table were able to get on a larger table with a lovely Australian family & another American. It was a fun table all cruise. Menu choices were odd. Not a lot of seafood; daily chicken choice was breaded. There were several nights not a single main course appealed to me (I'm not terribly picky), so would do soup, salad & an appetizer or 2. Lots of Indian (I like some, but not most). Elegant night menus were really no different than other nights. Kangaroo was good, as was alligator beignets. Creme brulee was SPOT ON. But I didn't go hungry! I did eat at the Steakhouse one night. Luckily got a good deal before the cruise...cost me maybe $35. Barely worth that. Stuffed mushrooms were breaded--odd. But not bad. French onion soup quite good--not a lot different than what I got in MDR. Filet & lobster were...OK. This is similar to what I would get on elegant night on most other lines. I didn't even finish them...that's telling. Side of sauteed mushrooms was DELICIOUS.

Activities, Shows & Crew The production shows were quite good--much better than on the Miracle! Played a lot of trivia--did quite well even when it was just me. But edged out of the Ship on a Stick several times, darn it! Spent some time in casino...did OK at video poker, horrible at Let It Ride & TX Hold em cash game & all but broke even at TX Hold EM Ultimate table game. Earned lots more points than last January...but offers aren't as good as before, go figure. Music around the ship was OK; usually I find a group or 2 that really hits me but didn't this time. Often sat reading up at Serenity when I could find a seat. The crew was terrific. Loved the Fun Squad...as with all cruises we have done, the crew was just terrific.

DANG--that was a LONG 1st post...my apologies! The Splendor Reminded me of the Miracle w/ a bit less theming. It has weird flow with a galley in the middle of deck 3? which meant often had to go up to go down & vice versa. Certainly got used to it eventually. I had Interior midship cabins. Had to switch for the 2nd cruise, but just a couple doors down. Forgot how great one sleeps in an interior! Great location, steps from the stairs & elevators. 1st leg I had the Span of Satan next to me--screaming & bawling were their only ways of communicating. Met them in the elevator once--yes, 2 very young girls (4 & 6?), same loud voices there. Luckily quieter the 2nd, longer leg. New Caldonia appears to be the "Caribbean of Australia"--there were A LOT of young adults & children on that cruise. Serenity was never serene. And watched (and applauded) a Fun Crew member have to ask some loud running children to be quieter on the upper decks when we were playing trivia on day in the plaza area.. Luckily the NZ leg was calmer.

Travel/Hotels To/From SYD I was able to transfer points from either Chase or Capital One (can't quite remember...) to Qantas to book my flight. I'm not sure I'd do it quite that way again. 4 of my 5 flights were actually booked on AA. UNFORTUNATELY Qantas & AA don't play well together. I could do nothing regarding my AA flights thru Qantas & my AA flights did not show up on my AA.com account. I learned last summer that bulkhead seats are a fairly affordable way to travel on long haul flights, so I wanted those for the flights to/from SYD. With a bit of effort, I was able to secure those. I traveled OMA-DFW-SFO-SYD. About 24 hrs of travel. Luckily I have lots of lounges to choose from via several credit card perks so that eases the pain of long international travel. The SFO-SYD flight was not very full (maybe 1/3-1/2). I had booked the aisle exit row seat...but the entire middle bulkhead row was empty! One of the armrests pushed up so I was able to create a semi-comfortable place to sleep. And managed on & off for about 8 hours (goal). (this along w/ melatonin, Tylenol PM, earplugs & eye mask). UNFORTUNATELY that arm rest that didn't push up was a struggle...and I SCREWED up my back getting that sleep. Luckily a massage in Sydney helped, but it took about a week to straighten out. I stayed at the Intercontinental Sydney for 3 nights. Lovely room BRILLIANT location...a block from Circular Quay where the ship ports. (I WALKED to the ship w/ luggage) I walked down each day, trying a different restaurant along the water each time. Lovely way to relax & people watch. There are also stores--picked up snacks, wine & such. On disembarkation day I stayed a night as I wasn't sure I could comfortably make an 11:15AM flight. This proved to be a mistake as I could have easily made it & it went off on time on the 28th. It did NOT on the 29th...curse of Leap Year??!! More on that in a moment.. I had tried to cancel my hotel booking on the 29th & book the Intercontinental again as I loved the convenience off it. I had booked the Woolstore 1888 near Darling Harbour via Capital One & just kept getting an error message when I tried to manage the booking online or via the app. So eventually just gave up. SO GLAD--Woolstore 1888 is a cool boutique hotel & it was nice to wander the Darling Harbour area. They have a small restaurant w/ a fairly small menu & it was the BEST meal I had the whole trip! HIGHLY recommend! So I got to SYD at 8:30AM Feb. 29 for an 11:15AM flight. I check my bag & the rep says "You realize this flight has been delayed 9 hours, right?" WHAT??!! NINE hours??!! NOPE. DID. NOT. KNOW. Seriously--why would I be there? No notification? NOPE--not Qantas (still said original time on app) nor AA (remember they don't play well together) Guess I'm lounge hopping & binge watching The Bucanneers today... OH, and that means I will miss my LAX connection. Check into the Centurian Lounge, call Qantas, book the same NS LAX-OMA flight for Friday & book a hotel near LAX. (Candlewood Suites LAX....meh, it was pretty tired; wouldn't stay again) Also the Aspire Lounge & the Premium Plus Lounge (for a moment--it was very hot in there). Usually there is a 3 hour limit (not sure anyone REALLY checks this)...but at the Aspire lounge they had heard of my crazy delay & said just come check in again after 3 hours. Centurian was definitely the best lounge but Aspire was solid. Food was remarkably similar across all 3 lounges & heavily gluten based (not great for a gal who is gluten sensitive). Rice & soup were really my only options. SYD-LAX was almost full. No exit row this time, but a decently roomy bulkhead. Managed 8 hours (on & off) of sleep sitting up. Yet still had 3 days (not in a row...odd) the week after getting home of utter exhaustion. Think I'll avoid LAX in the future...hot mess the morning I checked in. AA kept trying to get people to check in via kiosk...half broken, half w/o printer paper. Kiosks no good for me since it was a Qantas booking originally. Crazy long line at CLEAR---was faster to just go straight to TSA Pre Check line. Then LONG line to get bus to further terminal where my regional jet flew from. Hadn't flown regional in years. Ended up w/ 2 seats to myself on a fairly full flight so no complaints.

A bit delayed in getting to this...a hand slammed in the cabin door on disembarkation day, a 9 hour flight delay which led to a 24 getting home delay in addition to bizarre jet lag for a week... FINALLY ready to do this! This was only my 2nd Carnival cruise (40+ cruises over 20 years)...DH & I did 2 weeks to Hawaii in January & put the naysayers to rest that we wouldn't like Carnival after sailing most other mainstream lines. We liked it just as well as others! This was also my first trip down under. Admittedly the 15 hour flight was daunting, but the desire to see the world prevailed. Additionally, a casino offer of $100pp ($200 total for a solo traveler) plus taxes & fees less $200OBC...so as cheap as it's gonna get! Solo, as DH does an annual golf trip in Februrary. Prefer to travel with him...but I'm not one to pass up a trip without him! I did join a Roll Call here (all but dead from the get go) & elsewhere...were it was VERY busy. I attended Meet & Greet Day 1, met a lot of people that way, many who did this cruise as a B2B as I did. Actually, there were MANY people who were spending weeks & months on this ship! I will do this TR by topics as opposed to day by day. Let's GO!

Looking at NE/CA cruise on Breakaway in October. When I look it up NOT signed it, it shows up fine. When I log in, suddenly Sept/Oct Breakaway cruises are not showing up. ( Any idea why THIS is happening???

OK, snagged $750 certificate. Have generic 10% off in my account. Going to grab a Cruise First Certificate. One question. This from the terms: "Cruise Credit can only be applied to the player who has redeemed this offer." Does this mean EACH cruise fare needs to be over $750? The cruise we are looking at is less than that so essentially, the $750 would cover mine plus part of DH's fare. Thanks! (great timing...we helped DS buy a house this year & we cut our traveling this year to help offset...since this is a great deal, timing works & a new itinerary for us, DH was in!)

Sorry this happened to you. I like to think it was the case of missing identity--"many bags look alike" In 40+ cruises in 20 years, no issues. I do put funky colored ribbons on to help ID ours. Glad your travel insurance is being helpful.